The Past and the Pending

Saturday, January 19, 2019

Disclaimer: I am not a professional and while I do hope to hear every song at time of release, there are some 2017 tracks in here as always. This is more like a list of the 50 songs I fell in love with this year. I try not to overdo it with too many songs by the same artists, but everything I loved is in the Spotify playlist regardless of how many times it's the same artist. I hope you enjoy and find something you love.

Some of my more recent discoveries populate the start of my list. Although Great Lake Swimmers find themselves on the list many times, including in the top 5, the others are all singular. Mitski's track is a new find populating a lot of lists this year. Panic! At the Disco made a fun comeback this year, and I've always felt they deserved a little more respect than how they were originally pigeonholed. First Aid Kit and Young the Giant both had lackluster albums, but their top tracks are worth a listen. How to Dress Well has some of my favorite songs of all time (seriously, go listen to "Lost Youth/Lost You"), but they tripled down on the weird on their newest album, and only "Hunger" made my list. Jade Bird is for the fans of poppier numbers, and apparently it hit #1 on the Adult Alternative charts last April. Had no idea. And yes, that's a popular country song with Lee Brice's "Boy". What can I say, I have a 2 year old and I'm a sucker now.

50. Great Lake Swimmers - "A Certain Light"

49. Mitski - "Nobody"

48. Jade Bird - "Lottery"

47. Panic! At the Disco - "High Hopes"

46. First Aid Kit - "Distant Star"

45. Vancouver Sleep Clinic - "Through the Night"

44. Young the Giant - "Superposition"

43. Kurt Vile - "Loading Zones"

42. How to Dress Well - "Nonkilling 6 | Hunger"

41. Lee Brice - "Boy"

I'm hoping for the return of a proper Grimes album in 2019 as her one single at the end of 2018 is a great tease. Check out the unabashed saxaphone and falsetto on "Wrong Side" and tell me you don't love it. Hozier sure hit it big the last time around so he's no small find, but that voice is still killer. Handsome Ghosts is the kind of song I'd have liked better in high school, but there's still a version of that person in my somewhere. Rayland Baxter deserves more attention, though I'd still recommend one of my favorite songs ever, "Yellow Eyes". Death Cab had a pretty solid album this year, and "Gold Rush" was the best track. Chvrches also had a very good album, and "Graffiti" joins "Get Out" and "Never Say Die" to highlight it. Great Grandpa is a local Seattle band I was lucky enough to see open for Spoon this year.

40. Maggie Rogers - "Light On"

39. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - "You Worry Me"

38. Grimes ft. Hana - "We Appreciate Power"

37. Hozier - "Moment's Slience (Common Tongue"

36. Handsome Ghosts - "Reckless Lover"

35. Death Cab for Cutie - "Gold Rush"

34. Noah Gundersen & SISTERS - "Wrong Side"

33. Rayland Baxter - "Without Me"

32. Chvrches - "Graffiti"

31. Great Grandpa - "Teen Challenge"

Call this the sentimentality segment, full of old friends. The new Arctic Monkeys album is a sight to behold, and lyrics like that can only be sung by someone like Alex Turner. MuteMath has had some band changes and may never be the same, but "Sooner or Later" proves they still have great tracks in them. Muse was my favorite band in college circa 2005 and has challenged my fandom over the years, but "Algorithm" is fantastic. I think The 1975 would have been my favorite band in college if they existed back then. Andrew McMahon is my nostalgic hero, so not a surprise I included my favorite track from his newest album. Mat Kearney's song is a guilty pleasure of a track. I prefer the acoustic version, a simple ode to falling in love with someone you grew up with. I met my wife at 14 and she is always making me better. I’ve spent many words in the course of the blog trying to let people know there is more to Snow Patrol than Grey’s Anatomy and “Chasing Cars”. Consider this another reminder. You are welcome.

30. Arctic Monkeys - "Star Treatment"

29. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Echo"

28. MuteMath - "Sooner or Later"

27. Muse - "Algorithm"

26. Andrew McMahon - "House in the Trees"

25. VHS Collection - "Sign"

24. Calexico - "Under the Wheels"

23. Mat Kearney - "Better Than I Used To Be (Acoustic)"

22. Snow Patrol - "Life On Earth"

21. The 1975 - "Give Yourself a Try"

Lana made us all fall in love on “Video Games” than has
since followed a winding career path of Billboard hits and collabs. “Mariners
Apartment Complex” is the Lana I dream of in my meaningless hopes. Impossible
to nail down, Lana can at moments be among the best there is. "Thank You, New York" is love/hate relationships at its best, except for Chris Thile
(of Nickel Creek), his love/hate is more with a city than anything. Thus is
born a sarcastic ode to a butt kicking. Lo Moon probably exists with too little of a core audience. After
all, what is the market for 7 minute dreamy tracks like this one? Likely not
experimental enough for the experimental crowd, but not poppy enough for the
pop crowd, it finds a fan in me. I honestly never thought Interpol stopped making good music.

20. Lana Del Rey - "Mariners Apartment Complex"

19. Chris Thile ft. Gaby Moreno - "Thank You, New York"

18. Great Lake Swimmers - "They Don't Make Them Like That Anymore"

17. Lo Moon - "Loveless"

16. Interpol - "If You Really Love Nothing"

Released on a small EP, “Autumn Town Leaves” is vintage Iron & Wine with Sam Beam continuing his welcome return to niche. Nearly a decade after they soundtracked writing my thesis in 2010, Mimicking Birds have upped the electronic elements a bit, but have started to catch on the festival circuit a little bit. Check out their top track from their new album. There are several stellar tracks on the latest Chvrches album, but “Never Say Die” is the fullest, richest of the songs, with Mayberry’s strong vocals carrying over a swarming rush of electronic rock that bring the final minute of the song to it’s amazing, M83-like conclusion. I have only had "Slow Burn" on my playlists a few weeks, so time will tell, but I cannot turn it off. Great Lake Swimmers' "They Don't Make Them Like That Anymore" is a tough track for me after losing both of my grandparents this year, I admit this track will probably not affect you like me. But when the line “it won’t be the same without you, I know” is paired with talk of Christmases with grandparents, new babies, and the acknowledgement that “while some things are different, some are always the same”, it’s a heartbreaking
track I can barely get through. I’ll love you forever Grandma and Papa.

15. Iron & Wine - "Autumn Town Leaves"

14. Kacey Musgraves - "Slow Burn"

13. Mimicking Birds - "Belongings"

12. Manchester Orchestra - "Gold"

11. Chvrches - "Never Say Die"

10. Isaac Gracie - "terrified"

Looking for a new name to watch? Isaac Gracie has an astounding voice and "Terrified" is his best work to date, the highlight track on his debut full-length album.

9. MGMT - "Little Dark Age"

Someday we'll get a documentary that chronicles MGMT's meteoric rise, accidental fame, and the subsequent anti-hit albums that followed. But if you weren't paying attention you might miss that MGMT released their best, most accessible music since "Time to Pretend" and "Kids" soundtracked just about everyone's 2007 and 2008. The highlight of several outstanding tracks is "Little Dark Age".

8. Lord Huron - "Ancient Names (Part I)"

Care for some psychedelic-tinged indie folk? Living in an accessible folk/indie niche, the mistake would be to conflate Lord Huron too much with Mumford & Sons or The Lumineers, but Lord Huron exists as the best of them all, and they are getting quite consistent at this point. "Ancient Names (Part I)" is one of the most interesting tracks they've produced to date, their hazy folk propelling quickly over an unforgettable bass line.

7. The 1975 - "Love It If We Made It"

I have an affinity for The 1975, a band like few I can ever
remember where the phrase “more than meets the eye” applies so aptly. A couple
years ago “Somebody Else” was my #1 song, this year “Love It If We Made It”
lands in the top ten. I was also excited to see it chosen as Pitchfork’s #1
song of the year, rising above the indie hip hop that crowds their lists these
days. Their write-up is superior to mine I am certain, but I’ll briefly share my
thoughts: crowded with lyrics of negativity, this is a song that is, in the
end, upbeat and hopeful. It is catchy, musically it is interesting, and
lyrically is it memorable.

6. Ray LaMontagne - "Such a Simple Thing"

Long one of the more soulful voices in music today,
LaMontagne releases perhaps his greatest track with “Such a Simple Thing”.
Beautifully simple, it creates a backdrop of acoustic guitar, soft beat, and a
slide guitar, with LaMontagne’s bruised vocals carrying the weight. “My heart
is like paper, yours is like a flame”.

5. Snail Mail - "Pristine"

There’s a 90’s retro feeling to Snail Mail’s sound here, a
throwback to the electric guitar, bereft of any electriconica/synth dazzlement
popular now. This is a girl and her guitar, and the vocals and the way they
attach so viscerally to the lyrics, make the song. There’s honesty, hurt, and even
a pragmatic realism to the words here to where it sounds almost matter-of-fact
instead of forlorn when she sings “I know myself and I’ll never love anyone
else.” I mean, it’s just a fact, right?

4. Great Lake Swimmers - "The Real Work"

Long a favorite band of mine, Great Lake Swimmers have hung
in the realm of Iron & Wine and Nickel Creek, but with not nearly the same
recognition. Softly sung and introspective, “The Real Work” rolls over piano
and the hum of a cello. I’m not sure the exact inspiration behind the song, but
it has a way of speaking to me personally, and includes my favorite lyrics of
the year: “And the real work is never done, and has no clear beginning, and
shows no result, no losing or winner.”

3. Noah Gundersen - "HEAVY METALS"

The revelation of Gunderson’s existence this year, and
introduction to his genre-bending work, was my top discovery of the year. And
with finding my #1 track, I also discovered his self-titled solo work. “HEAVY
METALS” is alternative rock at its finest, building and building until breaking
free in a rush at the bridge, my favorite singular moment in music I found this
year.

2. Manchester Orchestra - "I Know How to Speak"

Released independently of the great album released towards
the end of 2017, “I Know How to Speak” showcases a softer, dreamier side of the
great storytellers. Layered in guitars, there’s an element here that begs you
to close your eyes and get lost.

1. Phoebe Bridgers + Noah & Abby Gundersen - "Killer + The Sound"

My song of the year this year is actually two songs, merged into one, both supplanting their works as individual tracks by blending into a heartfelt masterpiece. You do not need to know the original tracks to enjoy “Killer + The Sound” on its own, but listening to them individually will help you appreciate it more. “Killer” is not strikingly different, sung also over piano and blended with male vocals on the chorus on both the original and the new version, but Bridgers taps into a more soulful place when singing with Noah Gundersen. Gundersen is the author of “The Sound”, a top-notch track on its own, but one that is nearly unrecognizable from the new version. “The Sound” is a propulsive alternative rock song, with a driving, soaring chorus. Transformed on “Killer + The Sound”, Gundersen’s track becomes something new and wonderful entirely, and he owes much of this to Bridgers’ bruised vocal over a soft piano. When Gundersen takes over, he takes it up yet another notch. The mashup, or “reimagining” to use a more accurate term, lasts nearly eight minutes, and results in the year’s best track.

Do you miss what MGMT was supposed to be? “Paint Me Silver”
is the best of three outstanding tracks by the Australian psychedelic rock
band.

9. Spoon – “Can I Sit Next to You”

“Can I Sit Next to You” is a classically classic Spoon song:
tightly produced, a little funky, and Britt Daniel’s raspy growl. This is a
summer with the windows down song.

8. Drake - "Passionfruit"

Six years ago Drake released a slow, dark, heartfelt track
called “Doin’ It Wrong” with Stevie Wonder on harmonica, and for six years it’s
been one of my favorite songs in my collection. Along with other more
R&B-tinged songs like “Hold On, We’re Going Home”, Drake has it within him
the ability to be one of my favorite artists, though he is clearly more famous
for other kinds of songs. This year he did it again, adding Caribbean flair
with soft steel drums to “Passionfruit” while his voice carries the song and
sets a distinct mood.

7. Violents & Monica Martin - "Unraveling"

Here’s the sad break-up song of the year. “Unraveling” is
beautiful and heart-wrenching. It comes from a place of low lows, acknowledging
when you’re falling apart. Best moment: the strings that come in around 3:30
and Martin delivers the line “I much prefer you the way that I found you”.

6. Marshall McLean - "Level Out"

Marshall brings Americana right out of Spokane, Washington.
He hasn’t broken out yet, but do yourself a favor and check his music out.
“Level Out” is his best work yet. The guitar work here is magical, from the lead
to the steel guitar, and McLean’s distinctive voices offers a little bit of
chill, “I’m just spinning my wheels, killing time until I feel, that the time
is right for me to level out”.

5. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - "Over Everything"

Perhaps the polar opposite to the previous song, “Over
Everything” is absolutely wonderfully positive, with a perfect lazy happiness
encompassing everything about it. The style’s of Barnett and Vile, both great
artists on their own, blend so well here it’s hard to believe they are not a
normal pairing. I have spent the year singing the line “When I'm outside in a
real good mood/You could almost forget bout all the other things/Like a big old
ominous cloud in my periphery.”

4. The War on Drugs - "In Chains"

The War on Drugs are the best band that you aren’t listening
to, and with their latest album they drop a collection of songs that once again
is the best of the year. The album’s most cathartic moments come from “In
Chains”, a seven and half minute propulsive gem that, like much of their music,
comes from a place of anxiety. But on “In Chains” that anxiety seems to break
through and a concluding line like “We can try and learn to make it
through/Then come out the other side” sound positively positive.

If you, like me, are a sucker for Sufjan Stevens, don’t miss
the top tracks from his somewhat bizarre collaboration album based around the
planets in the solar system. But like every Sufjan album, no matter how odd or
bloated, there is a moment that stops you in your tracks. For me that song is
Neptune, a track that is as close to film score as a moving Sufjan piece, and
the marriage of the two is breathtaking.

2. Coldplay - "All I Can Think About is You"

Despite the release of Coldplay’s completely average
partnership with The Chainsmokers this year that moved the charts, Coldplay
also released its best song in years and years on a little album called the
Kaleidoscope EP. “All I Can Think About Is You” is a slow builder that breaks
into a classic piano line then bursts forth with the best minute and a half of
music this year. Rank this one amongst the very top songs they’ve ever written
in their now lengthy and impressive career.

1. Iron & Wine - "Thomas County Law"

There is something about “Thomas County Law” that paints a
picture and a feeling stronger than any song this year. It’s a song about a
town, a home, and as Sam Beam says, “both denying and accepting one’s origins”.
There are those who dream of leaving (“every dreamer falls asleep in their
dancing shoes”), those who have been left behind (“there ain’t a mother with a
heart less than black and blue”), and those who know they shouldn’t have left
(“I may say I don’t belong here, but I know I do”). “Thomas County Law” is Sam
Beam and Iron & Wine’s return to form, a step forward by taking a couple
steps back. It’s lyrically perfect, musically stirring, and it’s the best track
of the year.

Saturday, December 31, 2016

This is a long time in coming, and in some ways it’s already
happened. After 10 years of posting in various forums, I’ve decided to stop
pretending that I’m writing a music blog any more. This blog hasn’t existed in
the same form for all these years. For those of you who have stuck by for the
last decade, you’ve seen it morph from Facebook notes and Xanga to blogspot and
even my own URL, which my wife bought me as a gift. But here we are, at the end
of 2016. I have a newborn son. Life has taken me everywhere and to many places
I never dreamed I’d go. And all the while, blogging has become harder and more
like a chore. The internet is saturated with blogs too, and any designs I ever
had on becoming a high traffic site suffered under the reality that I never
knew quite how to make that happen. But every time I thought about stopping, I
pushed on, driven by the kindest comment or a single individual who was opened
up to a new band or a new favorite song because of me and The Past and the
Pending.

If you’ll entertain me and you have time to read, I want to
write some thoughts down. And if no one ever reads it, that’s okay too. I
always knew the blog was more for myself than anyone else. It was a way for me
to organize and diary something very meaningful to my life. And I love having a
written record.

I don’t exactly know when this all happened. Growing up I
listened to almost all Christian music, plus my dad’s Elton John album, a
greatest hits collection played live in Australia. As a kid I think my favorite
song was “Place in this World” by Michael W. Smith. My first “secular” love was
“Black Balloon” by The Goo Goo Dolls. Like many my age, I had a distinct Linkin
Park phase in high school. Things change. Some things do not.

Nickel Creek, The Shins, Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens, Band of
Horses, Jimmy Eat World, The Hold Steady, Spoon, The National, Bon Iver, The
Killers, Something Corporate/Jack’s Mannequin and everything Andrew McMahon
touched. These are the artists that shaped me. These are the albums I’ll play
my son. Someday maybe The Hold Steady’s “Separation Sunday” will become my
son’s version of my dad’s live Elton John album. I can only hope.

Nothing can top that early thrill. I was not exposed to much
music growing up. Discovering entire discographies at once is overwhelming and
exhilarating. I got to discover Radiohead all at once. To me their first new
album was “In Rainbows”. I still remember going into Best Buy and buying three
albums all at once: Interpol’s “Antics”, Keane’s “Hopes and Fears”, and Snow
Patrol’s “Final Straw”…on the same day! And that meant I hadn’t even heard
Interpol’s masterpiece “Untitled” yet. I got two burned copies of The Shins’
two first albums at the same time and fell in love. And yes, I was one of those
people who fawned over Garden State. Natalie Portman and “The Shins will change your life” and all that jazz.

In 2007, for some reason I
decided to write a Top 50 songs of the year. I didn’t know then that I’d do 10
of them. Or that anyone would actually care. The first #1 song was “Australia”
by none other than The Shins. It should have been my #7 song that year, “Detlef
Schrempf” by Band of Horses, a song that is deeply meaningful to me.

“So take
it as a song or a lesson to learn/And sometime soon be better than you were/If
you say you're gonna go, then be careful/And watch how you treat every living
soul”.

At some point the blog stopped
being fun. And while you might think it’s because so few people read (that's undeniably a factor, admittedly), that
wasn't the main driver or I couldn’t have kept it up for a decade. In
reality, my perspective on music criticism has changed. I used to review
albums, positively or negatively. I used to have best and worst songs. I used
to make fun of bad lyrics, and eviscerated the likes of Owl City, Nickelback,
etc. I was part of the online hipster hater club. I stopped that a while ago,
focusing purely on recommendations. I now believe you can like whatever you
like, and viewed the blog as a way to say to my readers “hey, if you’re looking
for something new, try this”. So I stopped doing pure reviews. If the album
wasn’t good, I just didn’t talk about it. That left me less to write about. Second,
online music blogs have changed too. There’s so much noise. My favorite blogs
are touting EDM and indie hip-hop more and more. Free mp3’s aren’t as readily
available. My peers are 30+ and have kids and don’t want new music as much, and
the younger consumers of online content mostly like things that I do not. And
sharing a blog post on your facebook news feed? Just clutter. More noise and
clutter among a noisy and cluttered world of social media. I know it and you
know it.

I want to thank you. Some of you have been reading here and
commenting for a long time. You stopped me from quitting dozens of times. All I
needed to know was that I helped you find a new favorite band or song. In the
last ten years if I’ve helped you find that, that would make me very happy.
Thanks for the love and support and requests and comments. It has always meant
a lot. And if you still want recommendations I’m still here. I’m not giving up
my love of music, and I'll still do a top 50 in some forum simply because I still like that part alone, but I’m giving up feeling like I need to write about music. So
farewell, my friends, and thanks for reading.

The award for best new voice in 2016 goes to Isaac Gracie, and the fact that this is a live recording speaks volumes. Isaac doesn't have a lot of tracks, but with the potential flashed on "All In My Mind" I am really looking forward to seeing what he can do.

9. Bon Iver – “8 (circle)”

Bon Iver walks--and sometimes crosses--a fine line between exploring new sounds and creating needless noise on his new album. But on "8 (circle)" he nails it. Sounding more soulful than he ever has, Vernon stays in a lower register and delivers strong. "We've galvanized at the squall of it all" is one of his best lyrics ever.

8. Animal Collective – “Golden Gal”

Animal Collective just couldn't accept that they'd mastered the balance between experimentalism and pop way back in 2009 with songs like "My Girls", instead opting for years of mind-blowingly noisy and, cough, "challenging" music that got the occasional good review but got no consistent airplay from anyone I knew. Their new album may not be a complete return to form, but for one shining moment on "Golden Gal" the band shows why they took the world by storm.

7. Sia – “Broken Glass”

Like passion and key changes? Sia is perhaps the queen of the epic anthem these days, and she leaves nothing on the table here. The result is the kind of song that needs the volume high.

6. High Highs – “Boxing”

Close your eyes and let "Boxing" sweep over you. High Highs make some moody, atmospheric music, and "Boxing" is the best of a strong album.

5. Band of Horses – “Dull Times/The Moon”

On hearing the opening song from Band of Horses new album, it was like meeting up with an old familiar friend. It's no secret that I--and many others--found Band of Horses' last album to be disappointing and lost. "Dull Times/The Moon" is a seven minute song that opens their new album, and the first half is vintage BoH, pensive and thoughtful. The second half is a romp, reminiscent of their earliest days. It works wonders together.

4. Caveman – “80 West”

80 West stretches from Chicago to San Francisco, traversing the endless Midwest of Nebraska, Iowa, and Wyoming, slipping through beautiful Salt Lake City, across the worst stretch of major freeway through northern Nevada, before crossing the Bay Bridge into San Francisco. I've been on this freeway at almost every stretch, but on different trips, with many pensive moments along the way. For a band based out of Brooklyn, NY, the song title hints that the song was written on the road. It's a thoughtful song, and I like to imagine it was penned on one of those great road trip moments.

3. Jimmy Eat World – “It Matters” «««««

I needed this song. This blog has meant a lot to me, and the early formative years were filled and inspired by Jimmy Eat World. Songs like "23" and "Dizzy" are among my all time favorites, and I've seen Jimmy Eat World live multiple times. To me they always perfectly encapsulated the best elements of energy and introspective lyrics. If you want to try and hear what I hear, focus on the line "I imagine talks that last all night/never bring it up, but every day I want to/I think about us dancing, but it's not something we do/well there's my dream, doesn't it sound good to you?". In one line, both lyrically and with delivery, the song perfectly captures the disappointment when dreams and expectations don't match reality.

2. Bear’s Den – “Red Earth & The Pouring Rain” «««««

"Red Earth & The Pouring Rain" is said to have been inspired by an ancient Sangam poem found in the lead singer's room in an Indian guest house in the coastal town of Kochi. The poem, which you can read about here, reads "But in love our hearts are as red earth and pouring rain: mingled, beyond parting." It's a beautiful verse and a fantastic song. Musically, the influence of the 80's are obvious, and the song builds over a propulsive drum line. Vocally the deilvery is full of sincerity. This is an inspired album and an inspired song, and the inspiration is completely unique to anything I can think to compare it to.

1. The 1975 – “Somebody Else”

«««««

The 1975 amaze me, and I wish I were a fly on the wall to understand how this band operates and writes music. I say this because there is a definite teen-sensation element to the band, where image means something and a flock of high school girls no doubt love them. There's immaturity in the lyrics as well at times, including this song,, and they have an entire song called "Please Be Naked". What's amazing about that song is that it's an instrumental, and it's beautiful. Their albums are full of curious filler and overwrought song titles. But then, like they also have before ("Chocolate" and "Robbers" to name a couple), they are capable of an absolutely perfect song. In a word, The 1975 confound me. So that leaves us with "Somebody Else", and although any of the top three songs this year could have been #1, it's this song I keep coming back to over and over again. Start with the haunting and simple opening, which portrays a dark and lonely soundscape right off the bat. The echoing and wounded vocals hit, with the opening line "So I heard you found somebody else, and at first, I thought, it was lie..." Before you feel for the artist too much, it becomes apparent that the source of the breakup is himself, though he's trapped in the confusing feelings of missing some elements of the relationship despite being the source for its demise. Musically the song is incredibly lush with detail. Just pay attention to the background right at the minute mark, for instance. This song is not remotely straightforward, and if you don't give them the time of day because of their image, you will miss it. I can scarcely think of a song that uses its sound to convey a mood better. The confusion, the jealousy, the anxiety, the haziness of everything being expressed, can be felt just as much as it's explained through the vocals. This song, especially the first minute, is the best of 2016.

Local Natives made one of the peppiest albums with
Gorilla Manor, one of the saddest with Hummingbird, and they split the
difference on Sunlit Youth. It doesn’t carry the same overall strength as an
album, but it’s an outstanding collection of tracks.

7. The 1975 – I like it when you sleep, for you are so
beautiful yet so unaware of it

I could write a whole post on the potential of The 1975,
who seem to possess both the ability to be a below average teen heartthrob band
or to be one of the most interesting sounding bands in the world. When they are at their best—Somebody
Else, Paris, A Change of Heart—they absolutely excel.

6. Bon Iver – 22, A Million

This is Bon Iver’s worst album of the three, and it’s
wonderful. Justin Vernon stretches the listener’s patience with pretentious
indie noises, but it’s still glistening with Bon Iver’s signature sound and
very high highs.

5. The Lumineers – Cleopatra

Here’s the surprise album of the year. Mostly known for “Ho,
Hey!”, The Lumineers put out a fantastic album this year with Cleopatra,
complete with outstanding storytelling and an overall vibe front to back. Don’t
overlook it.

4. Band of Horses – Why Are You OK

Sigh of relief. Band of Horses’ last album Mirage Rock
was bad and crushingly disappointing. Ben Bridwell regrouped and learned to
write about life as a happy family man, and delivers another smashing success
with Why Are You OK.

3. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool

It’s always a treat to get a full-fledged Radiohead
album, something that happens only every four to five years. A Moon Shaped Pool
does not disappoint from string-tinged opener of “Burn the Witch” all the way
to the longtime deep cut “True Love Waits”.

2. Jimmy Eat World – Integrity Blues

There was a time once, near when this blog started in
some other form, when Jimmy Eat World was coming off releasing their best album,
Futures, before following it up with the also-great Chase This Light. Since
then there have been decent songs, but no good albums, and I confess I didn’t
believe there ever would be again. But Integrity Blues was the album I needed
at the perfect time and their best album in a decade.

1. Bear’s Den – Red Earth & The Pouring Rain

On their sophomore album, the British band Bear’s Den
releases a sweeping album full of
storytelling, imagery, and emotion. There’s an earnestness here. Bear’s Den
sings from the heart, and unashamedly so. “Red Earth and the Pouring Rain” kicks it off
on a high note, with a soaring, 80’s-influenced anthem that’s among the year’s
best. Bear’s Den has a special talent for making you see what they are
describing. On “Napoleon” it’s a father with “a tall glass of Napoleon and an
off-white leather chair”. “Greenwoods Bethlehem” borrows its name from an
Indian guesthouse on the Arabian Sea, while the title track was based on a poem
found in the guest room there. The result is the year’s best album.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Halfway home in 2016, and it feels like most of the good music lies ahead of us in the form of soon-to-be released albums. But in the last months, with the arrival of the hotly anticipated Radiohead album, 2016 started gaining steam. Here are the songs that I've been streaming heavy this year:

Animal Collective - "Golden Gal"

After the massive misstep that was nearly everything on 2012's Centipede Hz, Animal Collective release their best track since they swept the festival circuit in 2009.

The 1975 - "Somebody Else"

Drawing on sounds from the eighties and with some impeccable execution, The 1975 are capable of transcending their sometimes immature lyrics and producing songs as great as this one.

John Paul White - "Simple Song"

John Paul White and Joy Williams may have born to be a duo as we hear them with The Civil Wars. But with "Simple Song", White gives us by the far the best track one of them has put out since the pair's untimely breakup.

High Highs - "Boxing"

High Highs are high on atmospherics and mood, and on tracks like "Boxing" they show their skill. Fans of bands like Washed Out will really enjoy this.

Sia - "Broken Glass"

Sia is possibly best known for "Chandeliers" and the powerful force with which she propels her voice. If you're for more, check out "Broken Glass", which shows no restraint as Sia pushes her voice through the songs key changes.

Young the Giant - "Amerika"

Color me excited for Young the Giant's album this summer. With "Amerika" and their other single "Something to Believe In", there's a lot of hope that their forthcoming album will be very strong.

Radiohead - "Burn the Witch"

Picking the best of Radiohead's new album is tough, but my initial leanings are towards "Identikit" and lead track "Burn the Witch".

James Blake - "Love Me in Whatever Way"

One of the best Blake tracks he's ever written. "This is a lonely off-white room/I keep my gaze on you, while other people move".

The Lumineers - "Cleopatra"

I've surprised myself by enjoying the new Lumineers album about as much as any album this year. "Cleopatra" is one of the album's strongest track.

Chairlift - "Polymorphing"

I've always sort of enjoyed Chairlift, but I actually don't think I've enjoyed them more this.

Boxer Rebellion - "Big Ideas"

Buried under what might first come off as forgettable mid-tempo Brit Rock is some truly fantastic guitar work that serves as the underpin for most of Boxer Rebellion's great tracks, such as "Big Ideas".

M83 - "Walkway Blues"

With the exception of the fantastic "Solitude", M83's newest album was way out in left field, sounding nothing like you'd expect (except if you are used to expecting the unexpected from them, of course). One of my favorite tracks is this one.

Band of Horses - "Dull Times/The Moon"

Band of Horses' new album is a return to form, and the opener announces that very well, with a sprawling 7 minute track that transitions from dreamy, lonely musings to a guitar-driven finale.

Blind Pilot - "Umpqua Rushing"

Another recent purchase, my first impression is strong and I look forward to hearing the full album.

Rogue Wave - "Memento Mori"

Rogue Wave always manages a few gems off of every album. The one I like the best right now is "Memento Mori".